The Princess of Wales is preparing for a very special event this week.
On Friday, the royal will take the salute for the very first time as Colonel of the Irish Guards during a visit to Mons Barracks to mark St Patrick's Day.
Proudly watching from the wings will be her husband Prince William, who is the regiment's outgoing Colonel.
© Photo: Getty ImagesIt is the first time that Princess Kate will attend the parade as colonel.
She will present the traditional sprigs of shamrock to the Officers and Guardsmen who will in turn issue it along the ranks, as well as presenting it to the Irish Wolf Hound regimental mascot.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Princess will be invited to inspect the front rank whilst The Prince will inspect the second rank.
The parade will then conclude with a Royal Salute, which will be taken by Kate as the new Colonel, and a march-past.
It comes less than two weeks after Kate donned camo and braved the snow to join the Irish Guard on Salisbury Plain as they took part in a battlefield exercise. See the Princess in action here...
In the drill, members of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards were on foot patrol when they came under fire from an enemy. The exercise involved a soldier suffering a gunshot wound to his lower left leg and being evacuated from the scene by his colleagues.
The Princess assisted Lance Corporal Jodie Newell in administering first aid and applied a tourniquet to his lower left leg to stop the bleeding.
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe soldier was then moved onto a stretcher where Kate helped with assessing him for further injuries to his torso.
Lieutenant Colonel Aldridge said his battalion was delighted to welcome Kate to Salisbury Plain for her first visit as Royal Colonel.
© Photo: Getty ImagesHe said: "It is particularly fitting on International Women's Day that a few of our female soldiers met such an inspiring female role model.
"It is a real honour for all the guardsmen to meet their Royal Colonel in the field here on Salisbury Plain and demonstrate a few of our basic operational skills."
LISTEN: What Prince William and Kate are really like behind the scenes
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